


Good Dog

by Dovahqueer



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-04
Updated: 2015-10-04
Packaged: 2018-04-24 17:55:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4929463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dovahqueer/pseuds/Dovahqueer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hawke and her dog are very noisy neighbors. Merrill doesn't mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good Dog

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Tumblr prompt:   
> "hi sorry I live below you and I hear your dog running around and barking all the time and - no no it's fine I was just hoping maybe I could pet it? au"

_Scuttle scuttle scuttle THUMP scuttle scuttle scuttle._

Pause.

_Scuttle scuttle scuttle THUMP scuttle scuttle scuttle._

              The noise had startled Merrill the first night, and she’d considered calling the police about a potential intruder until she’d heard the muffled laughter and happy barking coming from the apartment above hers. Then she’d set the phone back in the receiver, feeling a little foolish, and gone back to fixing herself dinner. Now it was like the evening wasn’t complete without the sound of her neighbor playing with their dog drifting down into her lonely little kitchen.

_Scuttle scuttle scuttle THUMP scuttle scuttle scuttle._

              “It must be so nice having a pet,” she said wistfully, giving her hamburger concoction on the stove another prod without really thinking. Several noodles got pushed up over the side and onto the counter.

_Scuttle scuttle scuttle THUMP scuttle scuttle scuttle._

              “Someone to keep you company, and having a dog must make you feel so much safer at night,” she went on. The timer on the stove beeped, and then beeped again when she didn’t turn it off. She caught it the second time, and turned off the heat. But her thoughts were still on the animal upstairs, and her gaze was fixed on the ceiling, a little to the left of the smoke detector. “I wonder if it’s fluffy.”

_Scuttle scuttle scuttle THUMP scuttle scuttle scuttle._

              Merrill looked at the dinner she’d prepared; the noodles and ground beef in the skillet, the plate sitting on the table, and the Tupperware container on the counter for the leftovers; and then back at the ceiling. Well, the box _did_ say to let it sit for a few minutes, right?

              She double and triple checked that she’d turned the heat off – she wasn’t going to make _that_ mistake again – and with a grin slipped out her front door. She must have made quite a sight for anyone looking through their peepholes, practically prancing down the hall in her slippers and little green sun dress, short hair curling every which way after being taken out of its braids. But she wasn’t thinking about them, she was thinking about the dog.

              It must be big, she decided, to make such a loud thump every time it crashed into the wall in pursuit of its toy. Lots of energy, too, and probably a little clumsy. A big, lovable goofball.

_Scuttle scuttle scuttle THUMP scuttle scuttle scuttle._

              The noise was much louder now, she was getting close. 404, 405…there, 406. That one had to be the apartment directly above her own. With the sort of confidence only the prospect of a happy pup to pet could give, Merrill raised her hand to the door and knocked three times in quick succession.

              Two things happened immediately after. One, a woman inside called out that she was coming. Two, the scuttling immediately began heading to the front door, and it was accompanied by excited barking. The dog got to the door first, hitting the wood with a loud thump, and proceeded to scratch at it.

              “Out of the way, dingus,” the woman inside said with a laugh, and presumably nudged the dog out of the way, since the scratching stopped a moment later. Then, without so much as the sound of a lock clicking, the door opened just enough for Merrill to see her neighbor – and the head of a great big brown dog trying to push its way past her legs. “Sorry about him, I think he forgets he needs thumbs to open the door. What can I do for you?”

              She’d been so wrapped up thinking about the dog that she’d completely forgotten he’d have an owner. Perhaps she should have spent a little more time thinking about _her_. She was tall, more than a head taller than Merrill, and it was very obvious, thanks to the tank top she was wearing, that she worked out. Frequently.

              Creators, but she was lovely.

              Merrill felt her face heat up and she looked down, all the words gone out of her head thanks to the pretty face she hadn’t prepared herself for. But the dog was still poking his head out from behind his master, and she knew she couldn’t give up. Merrill Sabrae was no quitter.

              _Look at the space above her shoulder, then you won’t be distracted by those gorgeous eyes._ Sound advice, she thought. Deep breath, and then:

              “HiI’mMerrillIliveintheapartmentbelowyouand-“ no, no that wasn’t quite right. She stopped herself and collected her thoughts, then went on at a more reasonable pace. “I’ve been hearing your dog running around for a while, and I just wanted to, well…”

              “We’re being too loud, aren’t we? See, Brutus,” her neighbor turned to look at the dog over her shoulder. All she could see was the happily wiggling behind, but that would have to do for a scolding. “I told you you’re a nuisance, and you didn’t believe me.”

              “Oh no, it’s not that!” Merrill assured her. “I think it’s fantastic that you’re taking the time to play with him. It’s why I can’t have pets, I don’t have the time to take care of them properly, because of my job and having to run out of town to see my family so often and- oh but that’s not why I came here. I was just wondering, if it was all right with you, could I maybe come in and pet him?”

              The woman blinked in surprise, looked down at the dog poking its head out from between her knees, then back at Merrill.

              “Uh, sure. Hang on. C’mon, you,” she said, grabbing Brutus by the collar and pulling him back into her apartment with her. It left Merrill just enough space to squeeze through the door. “Would you like me to hold onto him? He’s not mean, just big and really excitable, especially around new people.”

              “No, that’s all right. I like big dogs,” Merrill said cheerfully. She knelt down and, as soon as his master released him, Brutus barreled into her. There were several moments of shrieking laughter and frenzied face-licking before the giant dog plopped himself into her lap, content to receive ear scritches. “That’s a good boy, you’re just a big sweetheart, aren’t you?”

              A happy woof from her lap, and the two women laughed.

              “Merrill, was it? Looks like you’re his new best friend,” her neighbor smiled, taking a seat on the floor next to them. “I’m Marian Hawke – most people just call me by my last name. And that great lug that thinks he’s a lapdog is Brutus.”

              “The noblest of all dogs; what breed is he?” Merrill asked, looking over the dog in her lap. He was big, yes, with short hair and a stumpy little tail that didn’t seem to stop wagging.

              “He’s some sort of mutt, we’re not sure exactly what but the pound was trying to pass him off as some fancy new guard dog breed,” Hawke said with a snort, and shook her head. “As if he could be a guard dog, he’s let rats steal his food!”

              Brutus let out an indignant sounding huff.

              “Yes, yes, they were big rats, you’ve said so before,” she teased. She’d joined Merrill in petting the dog now, and he looked to have transcended normal joy into a state of ultimate bliss. “He’s very smart, and very sweet, and I wouldn’t trade him for the world.”

              Merrill wasn’t looking at the dog any more, but at Hawke and how much love she showed her pet. As dog and master continued to play in her lap, she got the sense that she was part of an intimate moment. Instead of feeling awkward, though, she felt…nice. More than nice, really, but she didn’t know just what word to use to describe the warmth blossoming in her chest, she just knew it was there and when Hawke looked up at her with the goofiest grin on her face it got even stronger. She couldn’t help but smile back.

              “Thank you, for letting me in. This was,” what was it? She paused to consider. “Just what I needed.”

              She gently nudged Brutus’ head off her lap and stood up, prompting the dog to look up at her and whine.

              “Oh no, don’t be sad! I’ll be back!” she promised, leaning down to give him one final scratch behind the ear. She glanced over at Hawke, biting her lip. “If that’s all right?”

              “Of course. You know when I’m home,” Hawke said with a laugh.

              “Right, because of the noise,” Merrill said. There was the awkwardness, she’d been wondering if she’d leave without making a fool of herself again. But Hawke didn’t seem to care, just smiled up at her from her place on the floor. “Well, goodbye for now.”

              “Later!”

              Merrill went back downstairs to her own apartment and her now-cold dinner, but the lonely little kitchen didn’t feel so lonely anymore. She whistled as she popped her plate into the microwave, and added dog treats to her shopping list.

**Author's Note:**

> I named the dog Brutus for my mother's old dog, and also because I guarantee you Hawke would be knocked to the floor by her beloved pet and melodramatically sigh out "et tu, Brute?" and everyone around her would groan because she does this all the time no matter what he's done.


End file.
